


Battered

by ifdragonscouldtalk



Series: Tumblr Prompts/Drabbles [10]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Clint Is a Good Bro, Gen, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 09:56:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11529852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifdragonscouldtalk/pseuds/ifdragonscouldtalk
Summary: "avengers family time/night.. .or all avengers sticking up for tony" Originally posted to tumblr. Warnings for mentions of child abuse.





	Battered

****Peace.

That’s what Tony Stark felt on stage. It was nothing but another show, another act – not him. And so he could be at peace. It wasn’t anything  _he_  was doing. It was the persona, Tony Stark, that was the one who was on stage, not him, Tony Stark.

Being on stage was peaceful.

Manipulating the masses, the cameras. Careful words and coy smiles. He had the mechanisms down pat. It was easy.

Of course, there were times when it was absolutely turmoil (“I am Iron Man” pops into the mind). But most of the time, it was peaceful. It was easy. People fascinated him.

Today, he was not at peace.

Today, everything was screaming, and he was alone. His back was against the wall, his skin exposed, flashes burning him. Today, he forced down vomit as screams rang in his ears.

“Mr. Stark, what do you have to say about the allegations of illegal arms deals in Stark Industries despite your vehement claims that it has stopped creating weapons?”

“Mr. Stark, what of the rogue reports of Iron Man around the globe? Is this you? Has someone stolen the suit? Are the Avengers going to do anything about it?”

“Mr. Stark, are you aware of the anti-Iron Man group calling for justice against the Merchant of Death around the world?”

“ _Mr. Stark, is there any truth to the claims that you were a battered child?_ ”

A battered child. Is that what they were calling it now? Is that what they were calling a kid constantly living in fear of the one who was supposed to love them unconditionally? Is that what they were calling being forced into alcohol by the age of ten and struggling with it your whole life, blamed for it, attacked for it? Is that what they were calling the true terror that comes with the acknowledgement that not only would you never be good enough, not only did your father not want you born, but he would do whatever it takes to make you unborn, if you didn’t do good enough?

Is that what they were calling it?

A battered child.

He was going to throw up.

He couldn’t keep up the persona Tony Stark. He was going to make a fool of himself. He was going to make a fool of his team.

They could see it in the way his feet shifted, his shoulders bowed, his skin paled. They could hear it in the way his breath rushed out, like he had been hit in the stomach.

“That’s e-fucking-nough,” Clint snarled, shoving Tony out of the way and behind him, taking up the microphone. “You asshats really will go digging at anything, won’t you? Let me tell you something here – Anthony Edward Stark is a good man. Iron Man is a good man. He’s a hero. And you know what? He doesn’t need you  _prying_  into his private life, nor does he need you announcing it to the world, and he especially doesn’t need you to  _make up blatant lies_  to try and defame him.” Bruce and Steve were both holding Tony, hiding him from sight as he trembled, staring at them wordlessly.

“You would like to know about illegal arms deals?” Natasha continued as she stepped up beside Clint, knocking him out of the way with her shoulder. “The CIA has been selling guns to Cuba. The FBI sold guns right here in the states to gangs. Neither of these are private knowledge. Yet you care about reports with no basis on Mr. Stark creating and selling weapons illegally? Perhaps you are more in this for the hype, and not the truth. Perhaps you should all be fired.”

“Not to mention,” Steve called out, “that we have unclassified confirmation that those ‘anti-Iron Man’ movements are actually orchestrated by Justin Hammer and AIM. Maybe you should shoot your biased questions at another less accomplished and far more prone to evil billionaire, hm?”  

“It’s not a battered child,” Tony breathed suddenly, his shaking barely under control. He met eyes with Bruce and Clint, both silently asking him if he wanted to do this. He stepped forward and spoke louder, trying on his usual bravado. “It’s not a ‘battered child’. It’s called abuse. I was not a ‘battered child’. I was not pushed a few times accidentally and got some bruises. I was fucking abused. I feared for my life, I was never good enough, I’ve suffered constant, crippling, ongoing psychological damage at the hands of the late Howard Stark. It is not a ‘battered child’. It is an abusive father. Don’t sugar coat it. Don’t act like he did it on accident.”

The room was silent.

Tony walked off stage, Bruce and Natasha flanking him. His legs felt like jelly. He wasn’t going to be able to stand much longer. He didn’t want to embarrass himself any more than he already had.

“I’m so proud,” Bruce whispered in his ear. “That you admitted that.”

Tony felt a little more at peace.


End file.
